


birdmen

by JanaRumpandRCJawnn (JanaRumpandRCClara)



Series: USS Ix Chel [1]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Space, Gen, Star Trek References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2018-05-13 11:52:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5706691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JanaRumpandRCClara/pseuds/JanaRumpandRCJawnn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a ship affected by gamma radiation, Stark and his growing crew have to stop at the nearest spaceport for repairs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Cage

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there

Sam was so used to routine that sometimes he forgot he didn't actually like it.

Working in an hangar had its ups and downs. It could be tiring and the overload of sound wasn't that great, but he did get the chance to see new species and ships more often than not, which always had the potential to be entertaining.

As he mended a couple nanofiber capsules - that had managed to be damaged even before deployment, so he wasn't putting much faith in their quality anyway - Sam wondered how many days his portions would last at this rate. Having a _guest_ at home also had its ups and downs, after all.

Before his frown could settle too much - it had became frequent during the last few months, more than he'd like - he was distracted by an incoming ship. A black beauty, sleek and shining, though its warp engines emitted a funky greenish color. With any luck, Sam would get to take a peek at that marvel.

.....

Tony was, admittedly, more than a bit excited. He had just acquired a brand new colorful genius, beautiful Pepper took all the paperwork to deal with, and Fury hadn't even given him much time of intense glaring. Just perfect, really.

And okay, he wasn't exactly happy that his babe had a runny nose, but that could be fixed in no time, so whatever.

Currently in orbit of a little-ish green and grey planet, Tony sat at the helm waiting for pointy to beam up. He'd be terribly bored if it wasn't for Angie's singing coming from the speakers (no one had the heart or guts to stop her), so as it was he was just starting to fidget.

Rhodey was at his side as they tossed a hologram cube back and forth, and Hill was just a few paces away, going through identification protocols as though it was her mother tongue. Other than that the bridge was empty - too empty - and Tony made a note to himself to change that sooner than Coulson could say regulations.

And speaking of the beast bellow, "Captain."

"There is a Tony missing in there."

"A bay has been cleared for the ship at the main hangar." His first officer went on, totally ignoring his protest as usual. "Local policy states that, other than the placement fees, we are able to employ whichever cleared workers we see fit. As we carry no products for selling or passengers to disembark, I don't believe you'll appreciate thus related information, sir."

"Why do you keep calling me sir? It makes me feel old, and that's just mean." Coulson answered with the smallest sigh, which was vulcan for a massive eye roll. Tony fist pumped and shot up with a smile, skipping steps to the transporter. Peggy met him there to beam down as Rhodey prepared to land. Time to find some natives for the heavy lifting.

...

Tony was in love. Like, for real. Sam was the most cool guy ever since Bruce. Who he'd met less than 72 standard hours before, but that's beside the point.

Sam was chill, and funny, and smart, and witty. And he had wings! A birdman, so awesome.

He and a couple of other people had come to offer a hired hand on repairing the ship, but Sam really seemed to be into these stuff. He'd spent the whole day chatting with Peggy about the impulse thrusters, suggesting local non-standard tools and materials here and there, _petting_ the engines. _That_ was the kind of person Tony wanted tending to his babe.

"Pepper."

She didn't even look up from her PADD, which's just awful. He'd decrease her salary in 12,5%, that's settled.

"Pep, I want one."

"One what, Tony?"

"A Sam." At that she did look at him. Score.

"Tony, no."

"Tony, yes." He kept going before she could reason their way out of it. "He's awesome and super smart, works well in a team, and won't even charge a ton of credits judging by the crappy job he has here. I'm being totally reasonable right now."

"We don't know anything about him, Tony. He didn't even give you a last name."

"That's just ethnocentric, and no one with those sweet eyes can be that bad. Come on, Pep, I know you can wing it."

A sigh, which was Pepper for dammit Tony. He was already beaming.

"Have you talked to him yet?" Her eyes were back on the PADD, probably already making whatever arrangements yeomen did for their charming captains. Or playing Sudoku, who knows.

"I will, and he'll come with us. Prepare everyone to warp in two hours."

"I'll make that five. And only if Carter approves."

...

"So, good news." Tony announced as he stepped up beside Sam, who was carrying even more tools wherever. The man smiled, but didn't seem all that attentive.

"Good news, Mr. Stark?"

"Mister was my old man. And would a fellow such as you be interested in hopping around the galaxy for a while?"

At that Sam froze, Tony even had to take a step back.

"Hey, birdman, still online?" He got an eyebrow raise (probably for the nickname) but then the shock made its way back.

Sam opened and closed his mouth a couple times, sharp teeth hidden by a slack jaw, and only came up with a "what?"

"Well, I have a ship, it's got spare rooms and we could use a few more hands aboard. What do you say?"

"I-"

"You won't have to worry about a thing. The food is amazing, everyone is great. Easy credits, really." Okay, Tony was excited again. But a new crewmember! That's something to be happy about.

Sam was silent for a few moments, just staring at nothing as if making a hard decision. Which he shouldn't, because the offer was amazing, if one were to ask Tony.

"I can't." His face was hard now, body tense, but Starks didn't just give up.

"Are you sure? We can work this out, just name what you want."

Sam hesitated, but ultimately sighed (what's up with these people around him and all the sighs, anyway?). "I have someone I'd need to take with me."

"Like a marriage thing or a kid thing?"

"Neither." That squared jaw wasn't forthcoming with information, so they just stood there facing each other for a while.

"Credentials?"

At that Sam almost bristled.

"I won't have him working."

Okay, touchy topic there, but Tony couldn't imagine why. Before he could say anything else, though, Sam deflated and spoke again, his voice holding a note of pleading.

"I promise he wouldn't be a problem, could share bunkers with me and all. Just- I can't leave him behind, as much as I'd like to go."

Well, it's not really Tony's fault if he couldn't deny those bird eyes, okay? They were really warm and deep and cute. Also, crewmembers! What could go wrong?

"Deal."

...

A couple hours later and Fury was still glaring at him. One would think a captain was above such things, but no, not him with his insubordinate crew.

At least now it was just Nick. Coulson had given up on that after seeing Tony wouldn't change his mind and gone to the transporter controls, Pepper and Rhodey had taken only a look at his face before coming to the same conclusion and leaving to do whatever. Peggy still stood in the room, but she for one hadn't put up a fight about unidentified new crewmembers.

None of them had seen Sam's unbelieving and then downright glowing face when Tony had extended his hand for a shake. He'd been so elated he'd even scratched Tony a bit with his short claws - for which he'd profusely apologized, though the shining smile hadn't left for even one second.

He said he would just go home to get his things - "not much, won't take long" - and his mysterious friend. "Just have to wait after dark," Sam had said, which could sound suspicious to _certain_ people, so Tony hadn't imparted that tiny bit of information. By now it was already night planetside anyway, so it wouldn't take much longer.

And sure enough, the telltale shimmering began on the transporter pad, two bodies and a bag soon materializing. Once that happened, though, a moment of silence took over the room.

Sam stood there, smiling but posture guarded, his arms around the other guy's shoulders. The man was wrapped in a battered cape, hood almost over his eyes, but those were glued to the ground, his body just too still.

Breaking the tension a little, Sam stepped down from the pad, now holding his friend's elbow. He glanced at everyone and then nodded at Tony.

"Captain."

Getting back on track, Tony gave them a warm smile and patted him on the back.

"Welcome aboard, big guys. Grump here is Nick Fury, Pointy there is my first officer Coulson, and this beautiful lady is Peggy Carter."

Sam nodded respectfully to everyone, and then looked at the other guy. "This is Hawk, I'm Sam. Pleasure to meet you all."

One more beat of silence, of which Tony was really getting tired. Then Fury huffed and turned always, coat swishing as he went down the hallway.

"Don't mind him, that's Nick's way of saying hello. Come on, I'll show you two around. Unless you are too tired, you seem tired."

Before answering, Sam looked at Hawk (alien naming systems, Tony really shouldn't find them weird by now). "Is it alright if I begin work tomorrow? We could use a few hours of rest."

That uncertainty right there? Unacceptable.

"Stop that tip toeing thing, of course you can rest. Jeez. Let's get you a room."

...

At last on the bridge, and already at warp speed, Tony threw himself on his comfy chair. Wasting no time, Rhodey turned around.

"So, what about the newbies?"

He would have given an witty answer if he wasn't honestly shaken. There was something strange about Hawk. Not bad guy strange, just innerving. He didn't respond to Tony at all other than tense even more when he got close once - only once too, because Tony wasn't that much of an asshole.

"Say it already, I promise not to say I told you so."

"You didn't even say anything, and there's nothing wrong with them. It's just-"

"Talking about the new guys? Tell me everything." Angie interrupted, stepping onto the bridge with Carter at her heels.

Tony raised an eyebrow at her when she sat at his chair's arm, but his game must not be as strong as Coulson's, because she didn't even blink.

"As I was saying, it's just Hawk doesn't look like he's doing great."

"How so?" The orion asked, now worried. Such a big heart, that one.

"He's too skinny, for one. Think you can get onto that?"

"Aye aye, Cap." She stood abruptly, muttering about "what do bird people eat anyway" all the way into the turbolift. After that everyone temporarily dropped the subject, which was good since Tony really didn't want to talk about it right now.

They had new crewmembers, and they would be alright sooner rather than later. Tony would make sure of it.


	2. Operation: integrate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eating right, learning things, the crewmember way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is one more chapter, hope y'all like it

Sam woke up to a chrono beeping at 0500.

Actually, that's when he opened his eyes, as he hadn't really let sleep take over. Maybe he was exaggerating. He couldn't be sure yet if they were safe, but it's not like he could do anything about it at the moment.

By his side on the bunker - too strange, too comfortable - laid Hawk, which was a real improvement. Two months before he'd refuse to get on a bed, now there was barely an inch between them and no trembling to accompany it.

Without taking more time to let his thoughts beat him up, Sam got up and dressed in his own robes. He wasn't sure if he could take those in the closet, and his wings wouldn't fit anyway.

Once almost to the turbolift, Sam noticed he didn't know where he was going. The captain had left no instructions after leaving them to their room (which would surely be occupied by more people soon, but by now he'd gladly take the reprieve). The hallway was empty, but someone had to be on the bridge at all times, so he'd head there.

The soft swishing of the doors caught him by surprise, or rather the giddiness he felt upon hearing it. Sam had worked on starships for years, but never had he gotten the chance to spend sometime inside one, _peckers_ never do. The soft engine hum under his feet made whatever job he'd hastily accepted for the near future seem worth it.

...

"Birdman!"

Once again Sam wondered if the term was meant as an offense, but the captain hadn't seemed like the kind of guy to openly mistreat people. As he had only gut feeling to go by right now, good natured it was.

"Captain."

"What brings you to the bridge so early in this fine ship morning anyway? You don't know Dr. Ross yet, but resting plenty is mandatory 'round here."

The statement didn't mean much if one were to judge by Stark's own face and the darkness beneath his eyes. But far be it from Sam to comment, so he'd just go straight to the point.

"I came to ask what are to be my tasks, sir."

"Stop with the sir thing, 'm not an old geezer." A snort came from the helmsman at that. "You know what, come take the place of this asshole here, he's being demoted for insubordination. Know how to fly?"

Sam prided himself of being one for fast thinking and quick reactions, but this was just too surreal. Had that been a joke? It had to be a joke.

While he gaped, the helmsman moved to the navigator station (he didn't look even put out, was the demotion a joke as well?) and patted his seat, presumably indicating for Sam to sit down. Which he did after a couple seconds, still unsure but not wanting to just stand there and look like a log.

The human extended his hand, not smiling, but his expression was too calm and soft to be angry.

"James Rhodes, nice to meet you." Sam shook his hand, mindful of his shortened claws. "Now, /do/ you know how to fly?"

"I- No, I don't."

"Would you like to learn?" And /that's/ really not a question he could ever have prepared for.

...

"Hey, terran, come taste this."

She was, admittedly, a little anxious. Peg could roll those pretty eyes all she wanted, but fact is that Angie had a mission and not many ideas as to how accomplish it.

Being a cook wasn't straight forwards at all, which was why she kept at it, even if it sometimes was a pain in the ass. Like now, as she was trying to come up with something to put some meat in those bird bones of their newcomers. The computer could only go so far and had close to nothing on Roq'uai VII's native culture. She could prepare them some kelvan style dish as was customary on the planet for almost a century now, since colonization, but that seemed a bit unkind. They deserved a little comfort when off planet for what seemed to be their first time according to Peggy.

Peggy who had just now closed her beautiful pink lips over the offered spoon.

"Stop thinking so hard."

"And you stop talking with your mouth full. So, what do ya think? Good? Bad? Horrible?"

"Why don't you go ask Mr. Sam what he likes instead of stuffing me with grains?"

That deserved a dishtowel to the face. Which Peg caught before it hit her, that bastard.

"Fine. See if I make coffee for you later."

"Oh no, not replicated coffee. Please have mercy." Despite the plea, she was laughing on the inside. Angie knew those eye crinkles too well to be fooled.

After one more glare for good measure she went for the bridge, leaving the human to wash dishes on her behalf. Not like doing nothing by the engines was fun anyway.

Once in the turbolift, though, Angie chose deck four instead. A quick search on the computer told her their room and that Mr. Hawk was inside. Hadn't left since the night before, actually. As she knew for a fact that quarter's replicators were shit, that meant neither of them had had a proper breakfast. Unacceptable.

The door chime sounded four times and there was no response, so she overrode the lock and got in already worried.

Inside stood Hawk, wrapped in the same cape as before and no more than two steps away from the door. He seemed tense, face too blank and fists too tight. She'd been through too much in her life to be fazed by that, so she went for the classical approach of acting cheerful until the tension went away.

"Hey there. Nice to meet you, I'm Angie, the cook and delight of this ship." Silence. "You're Hawk, right? By the way, is it translated or the actual phonetic of your name?" 

He just stared at her. Maybe he wasn't one for much talking, or even couldn't.

"So, I know you haven't eaten since yesterday, I have my ways. Now come and help me because I have no idea what you guys like."

Both of them stood still for the next few moments. He didn't look away from her face, so she didn't look away from his either. 

For whatever reason, he took a step ahead at last. Feeling he wasn't one to be comfortable with strangers at his back, Angie graciously ignored her own preference and lead the way into the turbolift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angie is too good, too pure for this specieist (?) world.


	3. 1, 2, 3, launch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Step by step we get there

Despite her order for all crewmembers to rest properly (which she knew most of them didn't abide to anyway) Betty herself was presently too occupied researching to even think about going to sleep.  
In her defense, it was not every standard day that one could study species from planets not affiliated with the Federation nor prominent in interstellar cultural exchanges. Case in point, Sam was just fascinating.  
Some things had her slightly worried, like his claws (clipped way too short) and his wing related musculature (seemingly underdeveloped), but overall she was satisfied with his heath condition.

Hawk though, that was another situation entirely.

First, he wasn't at all as forthcoming as his companion. More than a terran week had passed since they both had arrived, but other than the ship's remote scans (indicating scar tissue in a significant amount and apparently gnarled wings if compared to Sam's) she had nothing to go by, seeing as he'd not stepped foot even near the medbay. And it was easy enough to see that trying to force him wouldn't go well or be at all kind (the few of the crew who had interacted directly with Hawk had described him as perpetually tense and uncomfortable with proximity, and the picture that painted wasn't cheerful by far).

All that brought her to the current bout of research, which was proving to be more frustrating than Betty could manage while sleep deprived. For all that kevlans claimed to be purely rational, the abysmal lack of information on the "birdfolk" (a term that very much seemed reductionist, but better than the derogatory alternatives at least) showed them as the classical imperialists, eager to erase those they conquered. There were no studies on their language, very little mentioning their culture, and what there was about their bodies treated them without much empathy (she found more results about how to sedate them than how to ease their pain, and had to consciously relax her fists before she punched something).

"Cheater."

Betty _didn't_ startle at that. Bruce, bastard that he was, just grinned at her glare. He did put a cup of altean tea right beside her PADD though.

"You wouldn't know that if you were asleep." She shot back but with a smile, non replicated warmth seeping to her bioglass fingers.

"Touché."

He looked then at her PADD, the remote scan results to one side and the feeble data she'd gathered through the last couple of hours to the other. She could have claimed patient confidentiality, but then Bruce had plenty of access to the ship's labs already.

With a sight he leaned on her workstation, then just looked at her as she drank her tea and tried to unwind. It's not like they knew each other very well, but Bruce seemed like the kind of person who could perceive other's feelings quite easily, maybe because his freedom had depended on it since he'd left his home planet or maybe that's just who he was. Either way, Betty had gotten used to that very fast (it was no use trying to keep to oneself while sharing years with the same people in a ship, so she refused to waste her time trying).

"Worried?"

"You could say that."

They rested in silence for a while, Bruce knowing she'd eventually spill. Damn him.

"Hawk won't come to the medbay by himself and I have no idea how to get him here, and I'm pretty sure he needs a checkup, and I don't know what to do, which I positively hate."

Bruce hummed, looking pensive himself.

"If he won't come here then maybe you should go to him instead. Get out of the labs a bit, you know."

"Pot and kettle." Betty teased instead of replying, because she'd prefer not to admit that he was right. Her social skills were not the best, and to be honest she had no idea how to convince someone so defensive to trust her. Bruce only shrugged, not rising to the bait. 

Her only response was a huff while she finally took out the PADD displays and got up, joints popping.

"Ok, doctor, quit being so smug. Let's both go to sleep already."

"Aye, doctor."

She refrained from mock punching him then, but only barely.

...

Sitting by the main kitchen island some days later, Betty had a vague plan as to how to proceed.  
Perched on a high stool not far from her was Hawk, back straight since when she'd come into the room, but at least he wasn't staring at her anymore. Instead he was occupied peeling fruit as Angie had told him to. She could only wish she had even half that girl's ability to understand how people around her worked and get them to do what she wanted. 

Betty herself had been made to eat a considerable breakfast (non replicated, which seemed like a waste of resources to her, but Stark probably didn't know the meaning of such words) and then put to work too picking some kind of beans. All the while Angie kept a fluid stream of conversation, though not so frantic as usual, to which Hawk actually answered with a hum here and there.

The past mornings had flowed just like that, Betty participating a little in their almost one sided conversation and helping with lunch preparations before she went back to the medbay or the labs. She should maybe feel like a slacker, but then she had a mission to get Hawk more comfortable around her (her first priority for now, since all other crewmembers were fine as could be and there wasn't much research to be done at the moment ).  
As distracted thinking as she was, a poke to the elbow startled her. Fortunately not enough for it to be obvious, because it had been Hawk, who had in his extended hand a piece of fruit. His scarred fingers weren't tense, neither was his face as he just looked at her. She took it and thanked him, to which he curled his lips in what could be interpreted as a smile.

Apparently she wasn't that incompetent in her social skills after all.

…

Stark was at once the best and the worst captain she’d ever met. Betty very much appreciated the way he treated his crew as absolute equals, his disdain for hierarchy constantly shining through. But then it brought her to moments like this, facing his incessant chatter that he used to try and distract her from applying the hypo spray she had in hand (what for anyway, it didn’t even hurt).

As he rambled on she tuned him out and shared a commiserating look with Rhodes and Sam, both looking fairly amused. Hill on the other hand didn’t have as much patience for their captain. Her huffs had been getting louder and louder through the past minutes, and just as Stark went on a tangent about the safety hazard of ship chairs without safety belts Maria stomped up to him, immediately positioning her fingers to his neck in the threat of a vulcan neck pinch.

“Ok, ok, I’m shutting up now!” They all rolled their eyes at how little that resolve would last.

“Captain-”

“Tony, doc.”

“Stark.” He scrunched his nose, but her tone must have been enough for him to stop interrupting at least for now. “May I?”

“Sure, sure, inject with synthesized pathogens and hope I don’t die from it, go ahead.”

If her eyes rolled any further back her biofiber one would surely pop out.

“I thought we had gotten over that argument a couple centuries ago.”

“Linear time in an illusion.”

Betty’s only response to that was to stab the hypospray to his arm with a bit more force than necessary.

“All set. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” She summarily ignored his groan. “Now, Sam, will you please come with me?”

“Aye, Doc.”

She turned to pat Stark on the hypospraied. “That’s what I call a good example.”  
Sam smiled at her (as usual, such a darling) and they didn’t wait for Stark’s comeback before getting inside the turbolift and rushing down from the bridge.

“So, I see you’ve been made our official pilot. Congratulations.”

He positively preened at that, dark eyes shining and still looking bashful.

“I’m still learning really.”

“Impressive all the same.”

Soon enough they were in the medbay. For the last month they’d been putting together a physiotherapy routine to strengthen his and Hawk’s wing structures, which certainly wasn’t easy. She didn’t have any experience with this kind of thing, for one, and throughout all their lives they’d been in a way or other prohibited from ever exploring that part so integral to themselves. 

That violence in itself had Betty profoundly unsettled. Of course she knew the world had much more to it than what she’d lived, privileged and under Starfleet’s protection, but to be personally faced with it was another story. Hawk still didn’t talk much, but his mutilation talked for itself quite eloquently, and Sam’s frequent surprise at being heard without question wasn’t that much better either.

She had to get out of her own head for now though, had a job to do. So Betty got back on track, helping them stretch and flex, learning bit by bit how their bodies worked, recording it to share when she could. It all seemed to go so slowly she sometimes felt quite useless, but then Sam awed at regaining feeling on his feather tips, or Hawk relaxed his whole body other than the shortened wings that rose and fell at his own pace, a true smile peeking out, and she rejoiced with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are more than a whole year later?? wild
> 
> Anyway, I was reading our old fics, found this youngling. Hope whoever read this one once upon a time is pleased with the update, and to the new comers many kisses too
> 
> -jana

**Author's Note:**

> Crewmember means family, and family means never leave unidentified people behind


End file.
